Air-ship.



0. J. LAISY.

AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1904. RENEWED MAY 4, 1907.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

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2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Ii I w mtneslyea O. J. LAISY.

AIR SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1904. mmnwnn MAY 4, 1907.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

OSCAR J. LAISY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PATENT OFFICE.

AIR-SHIP.

Ratented MarchBO, 1909.

Application filed November 1.7, 1904, Serial No. 238,098. Renewed May 4, 1907. Serial No. 371,922.

f To all whom it may concern-.2

series of spokes F.

Be it known that I, OSCAR J. LAISY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cloveland, in the bounty of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Air-Ships, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompangmg drawings.

T e object of this invention is to provide in a form which shall be very light and stron an air shi which may be easily roelle and shal be thoroughly dirigible. 0 this end I provide a rotatable bag, having around its exterior a fin or blade, and endingfrom the axis of the same is a bridge for supporting the operator and drivi mechanism.

he invention is more fully hereinafter described and its essential Cl'litl'itCftl'lSillCS set out in the claims.

In the drawings, which clearly illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the air shipcomplete; Fig. 2 is an end view ing rom t. is shaft near its ends are hangers D which carry a bridge I) extending horizontally beneath the balloon. On this bridge is mounted suitable mechanism for rotating the shaft A and with it the gas bag and blades. The mechanism shown consists of the centrally mounted pulley (Z from which the belts (1 lead around idlors d to the pullegs d on the shaft A. The pulley (1 may e driven by foot power or otherwise as desired.

Extendim radially from the shaft A are These spokes are secured at their center to the shaft and are arranged continuously in receding planes and each at an angle in advance of the. preceding spoke, so that the spokes form two spirals from near one end of the shaft A nearly to the other end. Theses okesvare held in lace by wires indicated by runnin from t 10 shaft totheends of the s okes, by longitudinal wires E running para lel with the shaft, out- I side of the gas bag, and longitudinal wires E inside the gas ba ning from each spo e to the next and b wires E extending diagonally of the she t within the gas bag. This complete bracing allows the spokes to be made of very light material.

The gas ba .B is of fabric and is cylindrical with conical s raped ends'as shown. At each apex it is secured to the shaft A, and each spoke passes through it and the bag is there secured. secure to the bag at each spoke a rubber disk K having a tubular flange k snugly embracing the spoke. This flange is tied as by the cord 7c, around the spoke after the balloon is inflated. By this means the gas bag is held in extended position, wherefore the chance of the. ship sinking in case of an accident causing leakage, is very much rodn'ced. The diagonal wires E within the balloon are secured at their ends to eyes I) carried by the fabric. The gas bag is additionally braced by cross wires E and E" which are secured to eyes 1; on the inside and outside" of the conical portions of the bag.

Before inflation the balloon is collapsed about the shaft A, the wires E sliding down the spokes and the diagonal wires within the balloon being idle. During inflation eyes It secured to metal rings 73, embedded in the disks K are drawn outward by the attendants, thus assisting the inflation and also drawing outward wires k within the balloon, which connect the various wires E with the rings 7.7 The wires E are thus drawn into place and when inflation is complate the eyes k are held by books It on the spokes.

Outside of the gas bag on the projecting ends of the spokes there is mounted a continuous web of canvas, C, which makes the propelling surface. This surface takes the form of a double spiral wound around the bag as shown in the drawings and at its ends the surface terminates in a shar blade-like form extending clear across tfio rotating structure and adapted to easily cut the air.

The air ship is shaped the same at each end, wherefore, it may be driven in either direction, die operator rotating the wheel (Z in one direction or the other as desired.

rudder H, located at each end, and is directed by cross wires E run- The ship is steered horizontally by the plete control of the operator, and goes up- I sleeves carried by the gas bag and surroundcarried thereby and set to form a spiral,- "brace. Wires leading from the shaft to the of. the spokes.

up or down by the aeroplanes G. The rudder and aeroplanes are connected by suitable Wires, indicated by 5 with lever L, in position to be conveniently grasped by the operator. The air ship is thus under conn- Ward or downward and travels forward or backward at will.

I claim i 1. In an air-ship, in combination, a shaft, a series of radiating spokes secured thereto, a gas bag surrounding the shaft and havmg the spokes passing through it, the bag, when distended being secured to the spokes and when empty sliding down them toward the shaft, and a spiral blade on the outer side of the gas bag secured to the projecting ends 2. In an air ship, in combination, a main shaft, a series of spokes secured to the shaft, a gas bag surrounding the shaft, flexible ing the spokes and adapted to be secured to them.

3. In an air ship, a rotatable shaft, spokes ends of some of the spokes and longitudinal wires leading from various spokes to each other, a gas bag surrounding the shafts andhaving the spokes projecting through it and canvas or similar material mounted on said spokes near their ends.

a 4. In an air ship, a rotatable shaft, spokes carried thereby and set to form a spiral, brace wires leading fiom the shaft to the ends of some of the spokes, canvas or similar material mounted on said spokes near their 1 rease spokes projecting therefrom so arranged as to form a spiral, a conical ended gas bag surrounding the shaft, the spokes passing through the bag and the bag being secured to the spokes thereat and at its conical ends to the shaft, a propelling surface carried by the projecting ends of said spokes, wires bracing the spokes, the bag and the propelling surface, a bridge supported by said shaft, and means mounted on the bridge for rotating the shaft and for steering the ship.

7. In an air ship, a rotatable shaft, radial spokes projecting therefrom so arranged as to form a spiral, a gas bag surrounding, the

shaft, the spokes passing through the bag,

and the bag being secured to the spokes thereat, a propelling surface carried by the projecting ends of said spokes, a bridge supported by said shaft, and means mounted on the bridge for rotating the shaft.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. OSCAR J. LAISY. Nitnesses ALBERT H. Barns, E. L. THUBSTON. 

